Trends in adrenal surgery: institutional review of 528 consecutive adrenalectomies

Adrenalectomy: should urologists not be doing more?

PURPOSE

Adrenalectomy is an operation performed by both urologists and general surgeons; however, the majority are performed by general surgeons. We investigated whether there was a difference in outcomes based on surgical specialty performing the procedure. If no differences exist, an argument can be made that urologists should be doing more adrenalectomies.

METHODS

The National Surgical Quality Improvement Project (NSQIP) Participant Use File (PUF) was queried to extract all cases of adrenalectomies performed from 2011 to 2015. Current Procedural Technology (CPT) codes 60540 and 60650 were used. The data were stratified by surgical specialty performing the adrenalectomy (urology or general surgery). Our outcomes of interest included post-surgical complications, reoperations, 30-day readmission, mortality, and hospital length of stay.

RESULTS

A total of 3358 patients who underwent adrenalectomy between 2011 and 2015 were included. General surgeons performed 90% of these (n = 3012) and urologists performed 10% (n = 334). Differences in number of post-surgical complications, length of stay, rate of reoperation, 30-day readmission, and mortality were not statistically significant between general surgeons and urologists (p = 0.76, p = 0.29, p = 0.37, p = 0.98, and p = 0.59, respectively). Small complication rates disallowed multivariable analyses, but unadjusted rates for reoperation, presence of any post-operative complication, readmission within 30 days, and mortality were similar between specialties.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgical specialty did not make a difference in outcomes for patients undergoing adrenalectomy, despite a large disparity in the number of procedures performed by general surgeons versus urologists. Urologists should continue performing adrenalectomies and, given their familiarity with the retroperitoneum, perhaps perform more than is the current trend.

What the radiologist needs to know: the role of preoperative computed tomography in selection of operative approach for adrenalectomy and review of operative techniques

Adrenalectomy is the standard of care for management of many adrenal tumor types and, in the United States alone, approximately 6000 adrenal surgeries are performed annually. Two general approaches to adrenalectomy have been described; (1) the open approach, in which a diseased adrenal is removed through a large (10-20 cm) abdominal wall incision, and (2) the minimally invasive approach, in which laparoscopy is used to excise the gland through incisions generally no longer than 1-2 cm. Given these disparate technique options, clear preoperative characterization of those specific disease features that inform selection of adrenalectomy approach is critically important to the surgeon. Because most of these features are directly assessed via preoperative abdominal imaging, in particular computed tomography (CT) scanning, a clear mutual understanding among surgeons and radiologists of those adrenal tumor features impacting operative approach selection is vital for planning adrenal surgery. In this context, we review the preoperative CT imaging features that specifically inform adrenalectomy approach selection, provide illustrative examples from our institution's imaging and surgical archives, and provide a stepwise guide to both the open and laparoscopic adrenalectomy approaches.

Risk factors for complications after adrenalectomy: results from a comprehensive national database

PURPOSE

Most knowledge regarding outcome after adrenal surgery stems from retrospective studies reported by highly specialized centres. The aim of this study was to report a national experience of adrenalectomy with particular attention to predictive factors for postoperative complications, conversion from endoscopic to open surgery and length of hospital stay.

METHODS

Adrenalectomies reported in the Scandinavian Quality Register for Thyroid, Parathyroid and Adrenal Surgery (SQRTPA) 2009-2014 were included. Risk factors for complications, conversion and hospital stay >3 days were assessed using univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

There were 659 operations. Endoscopic adrenalectomy was performed in 513 (77.8%) operations and almost half of these were robotic assisted. The median length of hospital stay was 3 (range 1-30) days. There was no 30-day mortality. In 43 (6.6%) patients, at least one complication was registered. The only factor associated with complications in multivariable analysis was conversion to open surgery odds ratio (OR) 3.61 (95% confidence interval 1.07 to 12.12). The risk for conversion was associated with tumour size OR 1.03 (1.00 to 1.06) and with malignancy on histopathology OR 8.33 (2.12 to 32.07). Length of hospital stay increased in patients with operation of bilateral tumours OR 3.13, left-sided tumours OR 1.98, hyper secretion of catecholamines OR 2.32, conversion to open surgery OR 42.05 and open surgery OR 115.18.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study shows that endoscopic surgery is widely used. Complications were associated with conversion and the risk for conversion was associated with tumour size and malignant tumour. Hospital stay was short.

[Complications of minimally invasive adrenalectomy]

Over the last decade minimally invasive adrenalectomy has become the gold standard in adrenal surgery. Laparoscopic adrenalectomy with the patient in the lateral decubitus position and posterior retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy have gained worldwide acceptance. In this overview the complications of minimally invasive adrenalectomy are analyzed based on the published data. Die incidence of intraoperative and postoperative complications ranges from 0 % to 15 % for unilateral adrenalectomy and rises up to 23 % for bilateral surgery. No significant differences were found between laparoscopic and retroperitoneoscopic operations. Nevertheless, splenic injuries and intra-abdominal abscesses are reported only after laparoscopic procedures, while relaxation and/or hypoesthesia of the abdominal wall are typical for posterior retroperitoneoscopic surgery. Conversion to open surgery significantly influences the rate of perioperative and postoperative complications (odds ratio 6.2); therefore, high surgeon and center case volume could improve the results of adrenal surgery.

Laparoscopic transperitoneal lateral adrenalectomy for malignant and potentially malignant adrenal tumours

Background

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is still controversial in cases where malignancy is suspected. However, many proponents of this technique argue that in the hands of an experienced surgeon, laparoscopy can be safely performed. The aim of this study is to present our own experience with the application of laparoscopic surgery for the treatment of malignant and potentially malignant adrenal tumours.

Methods

Our analysis included 52 patients who underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy in 2003–2014 due to a malignant or potentially malignant adrenal tumour. Inclusion criteria were primary adrenal malignancy, adrenal metastasis or pheochromocytoma with a PASS score greater than 6. We analyzed the conversion rate, intra- and postoperative complications, intraoperative blood loss and R0 resection rate. Survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.

Results

Conversion was necessary in 5 (9.7 %) cases. Complications occurred in a total of 6 patients (11.5 %). R0 resection was achieved in 41 (78.8 %) patients and R1 resection in 9 (17.3 %) patients. In 2 (3.9 %) cases R2 resection was performed. The mean follow-up time was 32.9 months. Survival depended on the type of tumour and was comparable with survival after open adrenalectomy presented in other studies.

Conclusions

We consider that laparoscopic surgery for adrenal malignancy can be an equal alternative to open surgery and in the hand of an experienced surgeon it guarantees the possibility of noninferiority. Additionally, starting a procedure with laparoscopy allows for minimally invasive evaluation of peritoneal cavity. The key element in surgery for any malignancy is not the surgical access itself but the proper technique.